Chapter 14 #2
I paused to get hold of my emotions before answering.
“Not beyond cutting the flowers from Mother’s garden for the ceremonial wreath and the enshrouding.
” I missed my father dearly. We’d finally been mending our relationship, which had become strained after Mother’s death.
Losing him hurt, and remembering Mother caused my heart to feel as if it might implode.
“I agree with you regarding the timing.”
“Father would like the flowers. He…he used to love them almost as much as she did. I was always encouraging him to go there.” She bit her lower lip and rubbed her eyes with her robe.
“The sarcophagus Mother is buried in is large enough for two, and he wanted to be placed beside her. I have the sashes that Mother wove for both of them. And then the soulshard orbs.”
Of course she would want those. Fate was not on my side at the moment.
Bracing myself, I looked her in the eye. “I’m afraid that last one isn’t possible.”
Thalen cleared his throat, adding to my tension.
Silus's jaw clenched.
“I try not to ask for much, but this means a lot to me.” She pressed a hand to my arm.
“I know it’s selfish of me because those orbs mean a great deal to you as well, but they were so special to Father and Mother.
He had them made just for them. Each orb had traces of both their magic and represented their strengths and skills, and the way they brought focus and peace to one another in such distinct ways.
Now that they’ve been…reunited, shouldn’t that reminder be placed with them as well? ”
I flinched. I wished my shadows could hide me. The last thing I wanted was to upset Elara more, but Briar’s safety took priority. “Perhaps in time, but not now.”
“You would refuse me this request?” Her brow wrinkled as she stared at me. “It would mean so much to me. It would signify that Father and Mother are together again, and be a reminder of how much they loved each other.”
“The sashes will do that as well.” A pang of guilt struck me, but Briar’s safety was worth the steep price.
“I don’t think I even recognize you anymore.” Silus grimaced and stared down at me accusingly. His withering look was one thing I admired about him when he turned it on others, but this time, he was in the wrong and speaking disrespectfully to his king’s heir.
“I had to take steps to ensure Briar did not wind up dead or tortured further. And I have every intention of getting the orb back.”
“She’s been tortured ?” Elara shook her head in confusion. “What—why? Father abolished interrogations involving torture. And what does that have to do with the orbs?”
“The Aurelines arrested Briar immediately and dragged her to an Aureline prison. Some of the council members involved with the bridal competition are behind framing her. We all have to be exceptionally careful.” It didn’t seem wise to tell her everything with Silus here.
It was a cruel tragedy that, in this, I couldn’t count on him as I once had, and I couldn’t share everything with my sister, but it was what it was.
“So…you gave someone our parents’ soulshard orbs?
” Elara’s eyebrows shot upward. “Why? How do you know that they won’t use them for something dreadful?
Those orbs hold so much power, and if someone is hurt by them, it will be an insult to Mother!
That goes against everything she stands for.
And Father too.” Her blue eyes sparked with anger.
The way Elara looked at me made me want to cover my face in shame.
I wished I could’ve found another bargaining chip, but the orb was the best one I’d had.
“The person I gave one to is involved in great treachery and must be exposed. He is connected to Father’s death, and I will uncover how.
I can’t say much more than that. But please, trust me, Elara.
It was the best option I had to secure the outcome we need.
” Or that I needed. Without Briar, I was falling apart, and it wasn’t just because of the vested magic.
“Why not use a false one? We have plenty of other orbs that are far less sentimental.” She frowned.
“He would have identified an imitation. He has enough magic and awareness to recognize the power in one of those orbs. It had to be tempting enough for him to take it.”
“So he is a bad person?” she asked softly. When I nodded, she dropped her hands and shook her head, her distress more evident. “Then its power will make him so much crueler. Think of all the people he’s going to hurt!”
“Haven’t you learned?” Silus’s expression twisted into disgust and worry. “Only Briar matters to him now.”
Thalen spread his wings. “I’m worried about Briar too. She doesn’t deserve to be where she is. And if you keep on, Vad won’t be the one plucking your feathers. I will.”
I hated the fact that whoever was behind this was causing problems in our royal circle. They were doing everything possible to break me, but I refused to let them win.
I arched a brow. “That was one of the matters I considered, and I concluded it is worth the risk. It will take him time to learn to draw from that energy. He will be dead and the orb reclaimed before that point. There’s no uncertainty there.”
“You can’t know that.” Elara stood abruptly.
She pressed a hand to her heart, paced a few steps, and turned to face me.
“Vad, nothing that has happened these past days has been in line with any of our plans. None of us anticipated anything remotely like this, and there’s so much we still don’t know! How could you give our enemy an orb?”
I climbed to my feet, my shadows spilling across the rug and circling back to Elara’s.
My nausea had lessened, in part because I was back in my own realm, but it spiked again as my shadows tried again to strengthen Elara’s, reminding me of my limitations.
“Because I deemed it best. It is not without risk, but I give you my word”—I stepped closer and pressed her hand to my heart so she could feel the steadiness and know I wasn’t lying—“I will not allow him to go unpunished, and I will reclaim the orb. This is a necessary compromise.”
“You’re…so calm.” Her hand dropped away, and she hugged herself. “How can you be so calm?”
“Trust me, I’ve had my moments this night.
” I offered her a small smile and squeezed her arm.
“Right now, I am what I need to be. I have a plan, and I will make sure Father’s death is avenged and you are kept safe.
Don’t ask me to say much more than that.
So far as anyone else needs to know, my bond with Briar is severed, and I will wed whichever of the brides Fate chooses. ”
“Except you’re going to get Briar back.” Her lips twitched, and her jaw worked as if she was trying to keep her emotions under control.
“Yes.” Perhaps it was risky to admit. But I couldn’t bring myself to lie. “You cannot tell anyone about this. No one outside of this room. Understood?” I looked up and stared at Silus.
He scoffed softly, a sound so subtle I could have pretended I didn’t hear it, but I was in no mood to suffer fools, no matter who they were to me. “Did you wish to comment on something?” My gaze remained on him, daring him to say it aloud.
He lifted his chin. “All this talk of justice and protecting Elara is meaningless. Your first priority is Briar.”
I fisted a hand, trying to hide my rage in front of Elara. Silus was very important to her, and I didn’t want to upset her further.
Though I needed to pretend in most other places that I had no feelings for Briar, here, that pretense would be counterproductive. “I love Briar, and I am not willing to live without her. I refuse to leave her in prison. Don’t forget, even Father approved of her.”
Elara ducked her head, and her bottom lip trembled.
“Then find another way...to save her.” Silus’s voice cracked.
He glanced from Elara to me, eyes darkening from his own pain.
“You chose to trade something sacred of your mother’s for this outsider .
You would break a precious set and deny your sister a simple favor.
Do you think your father would be proud of this choice? ”
I did, but before I could answer, Elara held up a hand.
She gave Silus a pained look and pressed her other hand to her chest, as if to ground herself.
“That isn’t a wise question to ask your friend and prince, Silus.
And Father...Father would have ground those orbs into powder or bartered them with the Void if it would have saved Mother.
Sometimes, I think he would have given me up if he could have—” She closed her eyes, and a tear trickled from one corner.
“I-I’m not happy about Vad giving someone cruel Mother’s orb.
It’s dangerous, but it’s done. And I understand why he did it.
But I need to be alone to grieve and not listen to you three bickering like children fighting over who gets the last piece of bread with jam! ”
“Elara—” Silus started.
“No.” She shook her head and walked past him toward the door that led to her bedchamber.
“I don’t want to talk anymore to any of you.
But I do want to make one thing clear.” She touched the door frame and turned back toward us.
Her glamour faded, and I saw how chapped her lips were before it reappeared.
“Vad, I’m not fully all right with what you did, but…
part of me understands. Regardless, I-I need you to know that I love you.
Please don’t doubt that. I just need some time alone. ”
“Should I send for Physician Morlo?” Silus had told me that Tai had been here earlier, but I trusted Morlo. He was practically part of the family and had tended to both of us from the time we were infants.
“No.” Her tongue swept over her lips. “I just need rest and to process everything before I begin funeral arrangements.”
Something was off about her manner and her stance. Something beyond the grief, or perhaps in addition to it.
I lingered at the door, my heart heavy and my bones aching as my head resumed its throbbing ache. “Elara, I love you too. I’m going to fix everything. You’ll see.” I placed a hand over my heart like I was making a vow. “There are good days ahead of us, little sister. Trust me.”
She gave me a teary smile, then disappeared into her room. The door snicked shut behind her, though the lock did not turn.
Tiredness weighed heavily on my body. It was as if all the fatigue had built up behind a wall and was now crashing over me. The list of tasks I had to complete overwhelmed me.
A wave of dizziness hit, and I steadied myself.
The magic I'd used to intimidate Colm, kill the guard, and protect Briar had drained me far more than I'd anticipated.
The vesting ritual's power was already waning, a disturbing sign that my time to act was significantly shorter than I'd hoped.
There was no chance I could make this last a week.
Still, there was one thing I had to take care of before I left this room. As if Thalen could read my mind, he stepped to my side, and we faced Silus together.
I had something to address with him because I was tired of his shit.